How You Open Your Car Door Could Save a Bicyclist’s Life

In an ideal world, drivers and cyclists would live harmoniously with no dooring—which is what happens when the former opens their car door right before the latter rides into it.

To get closer to that ideal, we should all take a cue from the Dutch, and always open the car door with your right hand. This simple move could prevent injuries and even deaths.

They call it “The Dutch Reach”—and for good reason, given that bike riding is such a large part of living in the Netherlands—and it should be engrained in all drivers' minds.

Outside shared a video depicting what this simple adjustment can do. In short, drivers use their right hand to open the car door which is on their left, and that makes it impossible not to at least glance back and see if any cyclists are coming down the bike path.

(Of course, if you live in a country where the steering wheel is on the right, then the trick would be to open the door with your left hand.)

Design podcast 99% Invisible also applauded the maneuver. New York City has actively been raising awareness about bicycling injuries caused by cars, specifically dooring, by placing stickers in taxi cabs reminding riders to check the bike lanes before the exit the car.